Giving Compass' Take:

• Beth Holland shares three strategies for addressing digital equity: resources, community action, and digital literacy. 

• Which of these strategies could benefit your community? Are you ready to develop partnerships to address these gaps? 

• Learn about unequal access to technology. 

Resources

The most recent CoSN Infrastructure survey indicated that only 10% of districts felt that ALL of their students had access to more than a non-shared device when at home. This means that while many digital equity concerns have been addressed inside of school, the challenge persists once students go home. While many districts across the country have adopted 1:1 technology programs, which does address the challenge of shared-devices at home, that does not account for the millions of students who may not have reliable Internet access.

Community Action

Another option to consider is seeking out partnerships with other organizations in the community that may already have WiFi available for students outside of school.

Digital Literacy

Most important, with or without devices and consistent Internet access, districts can support the development of digital literacy skills with students, teachers, and families. Particularly in underserved communities, parents may not have the digital literacy skills to help their children navigate the complexities of a technology-rich world. Schools and community organizations can offer support and lessons in addition to access.

Read the full article about digital equity by Beth Holland at Getting Smart.